A vehicle for travel

[Tengu]

Heres me looking to travel and I havent considered my wheels.

my current everyday car is a Rover 214 with Honda engine. Its a great bog standard car but its too thirsty and has too many completley unnecisary items of electrics to my mind. (just replaced a mirror, that cost me £15 from the breakers, who kindly fitted it as well; one good thing with this car is plenty of spares)

My idea is to get a lunchbox van.

Optinally Id get the camper version, but they are too pricey.

A lunchbox van is economic and had an acre of space inside. you can take them most places, and even fit them with bullbars.

My main worry is insurance, is it a lot being a commercial vehicle.

has any of you experience with such things?

 

[BushTucker]

I had a diesal escort 1.8 van. normal insurance as its classed as a car derived veh, very economical too, keep the batt good and it will rarely fail.

 

[fred gordon]

Tengu,
You will have to excuse my ingorance but what's a lunchdox van? Do you have a pic? I have a Fiat Dublo. It has masses of space, does nearly 60 to the gallon on diesel and get me where I need to go. Is that what you mean?

 

[Tengu]

Bedford rascal
Suzuki van
Honda activ

 

[Zammo]

They are fairly small they call them Keicars in Japan and as they usually have smaller engines to reduce the costs of insurance and road tax.

I almost got a Honda Acty van a while ago, they also do a little mini bus version of it which is cool. Though chances of getting one or a Bedford Rascal in good condition now are slim. Best to try and get a Daihatsu Hijet or a Suzuki Carry as I think they were still making them until quite recently (or maybe still are?).

 

[Tengu]

yup, thats it.

I think `K` class cars is wider than just the vans. (a quintessial japanese vehicle which have been made since the late 50s) its the mini cars that have the yellow plates instead of the white. (a different taxation class)

the vans is just the commercial version.

 

[Butchd]

My experience of vans with small engines is that they aren't that economical. If you drive them carefully and accelerate slowly then they aren't too bad, but that will put you at odds with the other drivers and only works if you have the patience.

I'd go for a diesel estate or car type van. They will carry much the same except tall things, and if you regularly carry tall things then go for the rascal type. Diesels have very little to go wrong with them, certain of them can run on waste oil with little modification, all should run on biodiesel, some on single veg oil mixes without the second startup tank of ordinary diesel.

My preference is citroen because I like the hydraulic suspension, but it does add some extra to the maintenance costs.

 

[Harmonica]

Its amazing how much stuff you can fit in a Suzuki Carry (very small in van terms). Dad and i once fitted three motorbikes and a box of spare parts and a spare set of wheels for one of the bikes in one of the those little vans!!

 

[rapidboy]

You can run into problems with insurance.

My Aunt wanted a small van for her dogs but couldn't get insurance because you could only have a van if it was used for your business so she had to buy a small people carrier and take the seats out

Camper insurance can be very good value but my company had to have proof that it was a proper conversion and had a full length bed, proper electrical and gas certification etc. etc..
It was straight forward for my camper and my fathers new camper but his last one was a home conversion and he had to get a garage to write a report saying is was safe etc. etc.

Check with AXA for dedicated camper insurance, my policy is with them IIRC.

Campers are a great way to travel, especially small one's that can get into forest and onto beaches.

If your doing the conversion yourself check out these guys for just about everything you will need.
http://www.caktanks.co.uk/

This is mine

AVA Leisure did mine , they did mostly VW's when i bought mine but i see they are now converting Mazda's, they did work on any vehicles and do part or full conversions to suit your needs.
http://www.mazdabongo.com/index.html

 

[demographic]

I have a Ford Transit semi high roof minibus (took the seats out but still have the extra windows) and although I only pased my car test about a year and a half ago (passed my bike test years ago though) my commercial policy only costs just under 300 quid for TPFT.

Thats through Anthony D Evans insurance.

Although the van/minibus is getting on so its not worth a huge amount I still thought that was pretty good.

A mate has recently bought a Merc Sprinter (the short version though) for £950 so theres cheap vans about.

Sorry to sound a snob but I wouldn't have a Bedford Rascal or Honda Activan given.

 

[janiepopps]

Yeah, I agree. I had a Honda Activan years ago and I was secretly pleased when the engine blew.....

j

 

[cyclist]

take a bicycle and get a trailer...
A BoB Yak will do, or a Weber Monoporter. Easy to convert with a Rubbermaid plastic box or an aluminum container from Zarges. If you´re really into camp vehicles take a Koga Miyata Chela.

Trust me, those combis save a lot of fuel and keep you in shape.

 

[Tengu]

Bicycles terrify me.

and Ive heard so much conflicting stuff about those vans.

(such as poor engine access. You pull up the seats and a panel in the back and there it is. `Odd` engine access, but a lot easier than many modern cars...)

Im going to see if I can wangle a test drive in one.

Oh, and dont fool about with toll bridges in one. (as my father found out the hard way in his ford escort van.)